So, I asked my husband Rob to suggest a topic for today’s quote and he said, “Integrity.”
To be honest, at first he said, “Weather,” but I asked for a second suggestion and then he said, “Integrity,” and I went with that.
And then I read this quote by W. Clement Stone and I wondered: Are there more than 3 magic keys to living a life of integrity?
Key #1: Have the courage to say no — How often do we say yes because we feel like we can’t say no? We don’t want to disappoint someone or we feel like we have to live up to a certain image others have of us, so we say yes to something so, so wrong for us.
Key #2: Have the courage to face the truth — Ditch the rose colored glasses and look at real life — the good and the bad. I ignored and even denied the truth of my past for decades, but it was only when I faced what I’d experienced without excuse or pretense that I was able to heal and find emotional breathing space.
Key #3: Do the right thing because it is right — We can do the right thing for lots of different reasons. Because we’re supposed to. Because others might be watching. Because no one else is. But what about doing the right thing because it’s just that — the right thing?
If I added a fourth key, I would add: Be yourself — but be yourself with compassion for others. So often I see others living their lives to the “I gotta be me!” refrain. But as I was reading in one of the Gospels this past summer, I kept reading about how Jesus was compassionate — over and over again. That thought has stayed with me — being compassionate toward others — and the challenge of staying true to myself while being more compassionate.
In Your Words: What do you think of the 3 Magic Keys (plus 1) to living your life with integrity? What key would you add?
[Tweet “In Others’ Words: Magic Life Keys #InOthersWords #quotes #integrity”] [Tweet “”Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right.” #quotes #WClementStone #integrity”]
Comments 9
Oh, that first one is so very hard to do, but I’m learning. Thanks for the reminder, again! 🙂
Author
Learning to say no — yes, that’s a hard one. I learned that in my thirties, Angie. But I need reminders, too. 🙂
Interesting serendipity on ‘be yourself’. I’m doing a 31 Day Challenge with ‘grace quotes’ from people you might not expect, and today it happens to be the turn of John Dillinger.
“I rob banks for a living; what do you do?”
Know the truth, and the truth will set you free?
(If anyone’s interested the site is http://www.dailygracequote.wordpress.com)
Author
Grace quotes … from John Dillinger?! Andrew, I just never know what to expect from you! 🙂
Next up is Erwin Rommel, giving marriage advice.
I started to leave a comment earlier, but got sidetracked with Andrew’s awesome blogs. After reading the question to answer again…I like the 3 Magic Keys and believe if we adopted them, we would live our lives with much more integrity.
Pat, you just made my day! 🙂
Author
I understand how you got sidetracked, Pat — I went over there, too! 🙂
And Beth, you just made my day for the second time!